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l UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea..

GARDNER Wr DOW, OF MARSEILLES, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES MONTGOMERY, OF SAMEPLAGE.

SHIPPING-BOX FOR BURIAL-CASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,981, dated June 20, 1882,

' Appnatiohniedaugustas,1880. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: p

Be it known that I, GARDNER W. Dow, ot'

Marseilles, in the county of La Salle, in the.

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping- Boxes for Burial-Cases, which are fully set forth in the following specilicatiomreference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan "iew of the bottom of my improved box. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line marin Fig.'1,the burialcase being shown in position in the box.. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing the box opened for the exhibition ot' the burial-case, which is represented in position as in Fig, 2. Fig. liis a transverse section of the bottom of the box, taken on the line y y in Fig. l.

rIhe same letters denote the same parts in all the gures.

My invention relates to boxes for the protection of burial-cases in transportation, storage, and interment, and to the arrangement of Vburial-cases in such boxes; and it consists in a box for such purposes provided with a bottom in hinged sections, of the proportion hereinafter described, and in a burial-case arranged therein in the manner hereinafter described, the object being to make the same box serve for transportation, storage, exhibition, and interment, and to make the weight of the burialcaspe available for closing the box and keeping it closed when the box is set on end.

In the drawings, Adenotes the bottom, and B the cover, of a shipping-box. The bottom is transversely divided, so as to consist of a longer section, a, and a shorter section, a', connected 'by the hinges c. The strengthening-cleats d on the inner face of the bottom are placed on the margins, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so as not to diminish the depth of the interior of the box. The longer section, a, of the bottom is madelong enough to give a tirm sup port to the burial-case E, which rests on the bottom of the box within the strengtheningcleats, and is affixed to thelon ger section, a, by screws f, passing through a and entering a short distance into the bottom of the burialcase. The

burial-case is not fastened to the shorter section, a', but the two sections are so proportioned that about one-fourth of the length of the burial-case rests against this section when the box is closed. v

The bottom and cover arefastened on the rest of the box in any usual Way, regard being had to the factthat it will not be necessary to remove the cover, while the bottom should be made so that it can be detached without being marred.

For the purpose of exhibition in the undertaker-s wareroom the box containing the burialcnse is set on the end nearest the short section, a. The fastenings which hold the longer section, a, to the side pieces and upper end piece are then undone, and this section is let down to a horizontal position, the section a rstill remaining aiixed to the rest of the box.

A prop, G, of vsuitable length, may be conveniently attached by a cord to the inner side of a, near its outer end, so as to be transported in the box, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and readily set under the outer end of a when that is let down.

A socket, g, adapted to receive the 4upper end of the prop, may be sunk in the outer surface of a, as shown in the drawings. When the burialcase has been shown suiciently the box can be closed again by lifting the section a into its placeagainst the side and end pieces, and this process of opening and closing can'be repeated as often as may be desired without once touching the burialcase or shifting it from its position on the bottom of the box. Theweight of that partot' the burial-case which extends beyond the lower end ofthe section a makes it very easy to close the box, and is also sufticient to keep it'closed, so that there is no need of replacing the fastenings until the box has to be removed. weight of that part which rests on the'section a when the box is open is amply sufficient to support the whole burial-case, so that there is no danger of straining it. When, however, it becomes necessary to unbox the burialcase, it can readily be done by loosening the screws which attach it to the section a. Y

When at the grave it becomes necessary to inclose the burial -case in an outer box the same box may advantageously be used, the bottom being rst entirely detached and the cover B being used as the bottom, the burial- At the same time the IOI) case being set on the inner face of B. The short section, a', being folded back on a, the latter is then set in its place on the side and end pieces and fastened there. The shorter section, a', is then turned toits place and also fastened down, the whole process being expediticusly and smoothly effected at a time when delays and interruptions are specially undesirable.

It desired, the fastening may be done after the coin has been loweredinto the grave, the undertaker standing ou the edge of the box while putting the longer section, a, in place, and thenstepping on that to finish the work.

Having thus described my invention, WhatJ claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shipping-box for burial-cases provided with the bottom A, consisting of the hinged GARDNER W. DOW.

Witnesses:

C. W. PoMEnoY, PERCY E. CHAPPLE. 

